Biography of Zora Neale Hurston
Zora Neale Hurston was born on January 7, 1891 in the tiny town of Notasulga, Alabama. Around the age of three her family moved to Eatonville, Florida. Eatonville is famous for being the first incorporated black community in America. Later Hurston's father became the mayor of Eatonville. Hurston's life took a turn for the worse when her mother died in 1904. Though the following years were some of her hardest, this setting and background helped to shape Hurston's writings.
In 1917 Hurston started attending Morgan Academy, the high school division of what is now Morgan State University. Hurston lied about her age, saying she was born in 1901 instead of 1891, to get a free highschool education. Hurston graduated in 1918 and enrolled in Howard University in Washington, D.C. While at Howard Hurston began her writing career with, John Redding Goes to Sea, and several other short stories. She graduated in 1924 with only an Associates Degree. In 1925 Hurston was offered a scholarship to Barnard College becoming the College's sole black student. In 1928 Hurston received a B.A. in Anthropology. With her education and literary desires Hurston was ready to join the Harlem Renaissance movement..
In the 1930's Hurston exploded onto the canvas of American literature. In 1934 her first novel, Jonah's Gourd Vine was published and received as "the most vital and original novel about the American Negro that has yet been written by a member of the Negro race.” (Margaret Wallace, New York Times). In 1937 Hurston published her most well known, and most acclaimed, novel; Their Eyes Were Watching God. This book marks the culmination of her contributions to the Harlem Renaissance.
The 1940's mark a turning point in Hurston's career. Because of World War 2, Civil Rights activists' protests caused tension between blacks and whites which showed in their literature. Hurston's later works, including Moses, Man of the Mountain (1939) and Seraph on the Suwanee (1948), were not widely accepted because of their irrelevancy to the times.
Her career ended in 1948 when she was accused of molesting a ten year old boy. The claims were later disproven but her reputation was forever tarnished. She spent her last few years writing newspaper articles and taking odd jobs. During this time she started work on another book, The Life of Herod the Great, but it was never completed. In 1959 she suffered a severe stroke and died less then a year later.
Though many of her works were unappreciated in her time, Hurston made a significant impact on African American writers today. We owe a great debt to her passion for her people and her culture.
Works Cited:
http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/hurs-zorx.htm
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/277382/Zora-Neale-Hurston
In 1917 Hurston started attending Morgan Academy, the high school division of what is now Morgan State University. Hurston lied about her age, saying she was born in 1901 instead of 1891, to get a free highschool education. Hurston graduated in 1918 and enrolled in Howard University in Washington, D.C. While at Howard Hurston began her writing career with, John Redding Goes to Sea, and several other short stories. She graduated in 1924 with only an Associates Degree. In 1925 Hurston was offered a scholarship to Barnard College becoming the College's sole black student. In 1928 Hurston received a B.A. in Anthropology. With her education and literary desires Hurston was ready to join the Harlem Renaissance movement..
In the 1930's Hurston exploded onto the canvas of American literature. In 1934 her first novel, Jonah's Gourd Vine was published and received as "the most vital and original novel about the American Negro that has yet been written by a member of the Negro race.” (Margaret Wallace, New York Times). In 1937 Hurston published her most well known, and most acclaimed, novel; Their Eyes Were Watching God. This book marks the culmination of her contributions to the Harlem Renaissance.
The 1940's mark a turning point in Hurston's career. Because of World War 2, Civil Rights activists' protests caused tension between blacks and whites which showed in their literature. Hurston's later works, including Moses, Man of the Mountain (1939) and Seraph on the Suwanee (1948), were not widely accepted because of their irrelevancy to the times.
Her career ended in 1948 when she was accused of molesting a ten year old boy. The claims were later disproven but her reputation was forever tarnished. She spent her last few years writing newspaper articles and taking odd jobs. During this time she started work on another book, The Life of Herod the Great, but it was never completed. In 1959 she suffered a severe stroke and died less then a year later.
Though many of her works were unappreciated in her time, Hurston made a significant impact on African American writers today. We owe a great debt to her passion for her people and her culture.
Works Cited:
http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/hurs-zorx.htm
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/277382/Zora-Neale-Hurston